Shloka 183
Śalya Installed as Commander; Coalition Agreement and Battle Arrays (शल्यसेनापत्यारोहणं व्यूहवर्णनं च)
प्रतीकारपरा भूत्वा चेष्टन्तां विविधा: क्रिया: । आज कुन्तीके सभी पुत्र तथा चारणोंसहित सिद्धगण भी युद्धमें मेरी फुर्ती, अस्त्र-बल और बाहुबलको देखें। मेरी दोनों भुजाओंमें जैसा बल है तथा अस्त्रोंका मुझे जैसा ज्ञान है, उसके अनुसार आज मेरा पराक्रम देखकर पाण्डव महारथी उसके प्रतीकारमें तत्पर हो नाना प्रकारके कार्योंके लिये सचेष्ट हों
pratīkāraparā bhūtvā ceṣṭantāṁ vividhāḥ kriyāḥ | adya kuntīke sarve putrāś cāraṇaiḥ saha siddhagaṇā api yuddhe mama phurtim astrabalaṁ ca bāhubalaṁ ca paśyantu | mama ubhayor bhujayoḥ yathā balaṁ yathā ca me astrajñānaṁ tathā adya mama parākramaṁ dṛṣṭvā pāṇḍavā mahārathāḥ tasya pratīkāre tatparā nānāprakārāṇi kāryāṇi kartuṁ saceṣṭā bhavantu ||
Śalya mengisytiharkan: “Biarlah para pahlawan Pāṇḍava bersiap dengan segala bentuk langkah balas. Hari ini, biarlah putera-putera Kuntī—bersama para Cāraṇa dan bahkan kumpulan Siddha—menyaksikan di tengah pertempuran kelincahanku, kekuatan senjataku, dan daya lenganku. Menurut tenaga pada kedua lenganku dan penguasaanku atas senjata, biarlah keberanianku terlihat hari ini, sehingga para maharathi Pāṇḍava, yang bersungguh-sungguh menahan seranganku, terdorong bekerja keras dan menyusun pelbagai siasat.”
शल्य उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse highlights the kshatriya ideal of disciplined readiness: true prowess invites an equally alert counter-response. Martial excellence is portrayed as accountable before witnesses—human and celestial—so effort, skill, and strategic preparedness become ethical duties within the war-code.
Shalya proclaims that his speed, weapon-power, and arm-strength will be displayed in battle for all to see, including celestial observers. He challenges the Pandava great warriors to prepare diverse countermeasures and exert themselves fully to meet his onslaught.